swmichigan cruiser

We really like NCL but recently we did a cruise on Royal think it was number 31 with them and not impressed with them only reason we did it was because we have alot of FCC with them to use. Also doing another cruise with them on a TA this summer and will use up the rest of the FCC. We haven't done HAL in over 20 years but they have a Norway cruise this summer that works out well for us and actually looking forward to trying them again just to see how they have changed. Guess I am trying to say it doesn't hurt to compare cruise lines to see how they have changed.

Guess I am not to concerned about the updated perks anyhow. We did a 10 night cruise on the Oasis in January and had requested a logo item. We are Diamond Plus with over 30 cruises on Royal so of course Loyalty ambassador on board sent us a letter they didn't have the item we requested and because we only had a mear 314points so the choices were pretty bad so I asked if we could at least get the 6 pack of coke. So we were told no. I have one cruise booked with Royal that was booked with FCC for a cruise that Royal canceled. I won't say never but after the next cruise that will probably be our last cruise with Royal. Wasn't just because of the C&A benefit but just added to other issues it makes it hard to consider Royal anymore.

Not sure what to tell you but we had 12729 on the Oasis January 5-15 this year and it was only my wife and me. We were originally booked in I think 11725 but I noticed closer to the cruise 12729 was available so I switched to it.

We were in 12729 in January for 10 nights. Sorry no pictures. We could still see the water show but those slides are a pain to look around. We have had the boardwalk balconies in the past on the Oasis but this will be our last time.

Thanks also from us. Haven't been on the Joy yet but have been on the Bliss, Escape and Encore. But we will be on the Joy for 26 nights in April.

Just my 2 cents. We feel about Royal as you do right now about NCL. In January we were on the Oasis for ten nights and one person stood out enough for us to mention and this was I think our 31st cruise with Royal and after our 17 night cruise in August probably won't book with them again. NCL has become our go to cruise line. We did a 21 night cruise on the Encore through the Panama Canal in October and when we were done I sent an email to NCL which I listed 12 people. Of course being on for 21 nights gave us more of a chance to get to know the staff better. Also turned out in January that our oldest granddaughter and her boyfriend were on the Encore and they got treated very well because of some of the staff we had met before. Just my thoughts.

Similar to what we do we just leave a note on it so he knows to take it. But on the Oasis in January Royal of course didn't have the C&A item we ordered so we had to take a cheese and fruit award instead but that was delivered about 3:00 pm and our cabin attendant came in about 6:00 pm and we weren't in our cabin so even though we had barely touched it he took it. Such is life I guess.

We have a guaranteed balcony on the Jewel of the Seas in August for a 17 night cruise from Amsterdam to New Jersey. We originally had a cruise booked on the Serenade that was I think was for 14 nights that Royal canceled and we had booked late so we had to take a guaranteed balcony but we got to keep the same price so we took the deal. We will be happy with whatever we get because the price is really good $2500 total for the two of us not per person. And the saving from not having to pay for airfare even sweetens the deal.

Our granddaughter was on the Encore for the January 22 cruise and unfortunately they had reservations for the comedy club but by mistake they got into the standby line and they couldn't get in. Fortunately they did have reservations for another night and got in for that show.

Another vote for Eva. We had her on the Oasis on the January 5th cruise. She was a standout.

SIK1Z We have been on the Encore for three cruises and last time was the October 21 night Panama Canal cruise and you may be able to catch Beau in the Atrium some evenings for about an hour or so. Also the band ADDA might still be onboard and they play a lot in the Atrium. Totally agree with you about Choir of Man I've seen it ten times on the Encore. My oldest granddaughter was on the Encore last week and she enjoyed and saw it two times. Enjoy your cruise.

I can only speak about getting to know the staff and everyone will have different experiences. We are Diamond Plus with Royal with over 30 cruises with them and two weeks ago we returned from a 10 night cruise on the Oasis and I can only think of one person who deserved mention a server in Chops. We did 21 night's on the Encore that started in October and we got to know the hotel director, his secretary, a maitre D, two asst maitre D's, cabin attendant, two coffee girls and others. Maybe because of the length of the cruise that helped but probably our best cruise for getting to know some of the staff.

On our survey I said we had a great server in Chops and the Loyalty Ambassador could learn a lot from her. I only saw the Loyalty Ambassador once in the ten night cruise.

One thing you might want to be aware of is you still might not get what you order. We ordered the towel as we are Diamond Plus but when we were on the Oasis recently we got contacted that they didn't have it and we had to choose something else and I asked if we could get the 6 pack of diet coke but because we only had 314 points the Loyalty Ambassador said no. Considering that Royal probably pays less the 25 cents for a coke I wasn't to impressed.

Not for us. We like to book the Boardwalk balcony's to watch the water shows and now they added the two large purple tubes that block the view out the aft of the ship and replaced the small bar there with the landing area. I might be wrong but I believe when we started there was a no charge Mexican restaurant now it is a charge sports bar with food. The Mexican now is a buffet on deck 15 which is only open about 5 hours a day and no where as good. Also when we were on the Oasis the first times they had a nice two deck lounge for Diamond plus looking out the aft looking down on the Boardwalk. Now that is gone replaced by I believe the Music Hall and the Diamond Lounge is down on deck 4 with only about 50 seats and no windows. Just my opinion of course.

We were also on that cruise. Pretty much agree with everything you said. We had been on the Oasis 3 or 4 times before and the way the ship has been changed over the years probably would not do again.

Don't know about the Getaway because we haven't been on it for 3 years but starting in October we were on the Encore for 21 nights and the regular buffet stopped at 9:00 pm but a snack buffet was open until 11:30 I know it had pizza and hamburgers and maybe cookies etc. We just got off Oasis of the Seas last Sunday and they had pizza available I believe from 11am to 2:00 am just my opinion not very good pizza. And a cafe open 24 hours with cookies etc.

Thanks I really appreciate all the comments. We haven't been on HAL for about 20 years but we do have the Rotterdam scheduled for August for 7 nights to Norway. The ports are the most important thing for us on this cruise so we will just be flexible on dining etc.

I just bought the Allianz one year plan to take effect March 19 as right now we have 5 cruises booked this year and maybe even at least one more and much cheaper than buying it separately for each cruise.

We just got off the Oasis and are Diamond Plus with at the time 314 points. We got notice from the Loyalty Ambassador they didn't have the logo items we had requested and we had to choose somethingelse and we decided to ask for the 6 pack can of cokes but we were told because we didn't have 340 points we couldn't choose that. Seemed pretty strange to me as a can of coke they probably buy at around 25 cents a can so it would only cost about $1.50. Only time I saw her over the 10 night cruise.

We haven't ate there yet on the Joy but did on the Bliss. Not sure we will use a dining credit there but we will at least try the Pitmaster Platter ( think that is what it is called) on our three April cruises on the Joy..

In October we did 21 nights on the Encore and this past Sunday we got off a 10 night cruise on the Oasis. For me the food choices were much better on the Encore. I think the specialty restaurant's on the Encore were better than the Oasis plus the Encore has a 24 hour restaurant where the Oasis doesn't and the buffet on the Oasis closes at 9:00PM where the Encore buffet stays open until 11:30 PM.

We also got the Oasis yesterday and had made reservations for the water show, ice skating show, comedians but also for Cats in theatre. Didn't like Cats so left very early.

Tablet messed up should have been the not tbe

Sorry tablet messed up...so got a nice table for four. Didn't use first night did BOGO. Second getting ready to go got call from hotel director who is a friend to eat with him in Chops. Third night didn't go didn't like menu. Fourth night went saT at our table . I think it was an asst head waiter who said we were at the wrong table and he moved us to a real bad table and he embarrassed my family and lied to us and said table numbers change after different seating. I didn't tell my friend the HD but he found out and we had dinner with him again on the cruise and I did hear the guy got a written reprimand. Not good for his career